Molly and Sarah were getting similar treatment and Molly sat there quite happily swinging her legs back and forth waiting for food, playing with her teddy bear. She wondered what was even on the menu. Sandwiches probably, or perhaps soup? Her carer walked over to her high chair and Molly had to admit she was a little disappointed to see a bowl of mush coming her way. Baby food. She should have expected that really. It didn’t look all that appetising either.
The worker pulled the teddy bear from her grasp and sat it down on a nearby table. Molly felt panic well up inside her and she instantly began to whimper.
“Don’t worry Molly you can have your bear back once you eat up all your num nums okay?” The worker cooed at the teenage baby.
Molly stared over at her bear not taking her eyes off of it, so she was completely unprepared for the first mouthful of baby food that was put to her lips. She turned her head sharply shocked at the closeness of the spoon, which only resulted in the entire contents of the spoon being plastered over her face. The look of shock on Molly’s face must have been priceless because the worker chuckled quite loudly.
“Oh, you messy thing. Pay attention okay.” The worker made no attempt to clean Molly up, instead she dug out another spoonful from the bowl and held the spoon up high.
“Here comes the aeroplane…neeeeeeeeyoooow!” She swooped the spoon down towards Molly and Molly, prepared this time, opened her mouth and the spoonful went it. She closed her mouth and swallowed, then gagged. It was disgusting. Whatever it was she didn’t want any more. She stole a quick glance at Sarah and Jennifer. Jennifer had quietened down by this point and was quite happily being fed, same as Sarah. Another spoonful swooped down towards Molly and she clamped her mouth shut, shaking her head. Her carer looked deflated.
“Awww does baby not like her num nums. Be a good girl Molly, you need to eat to be a big girl.”
Molly shook her head more fiercely. The worker pushed the spoon into Mollys mouth but her teeth were clamped shut. The worker gently tickled molly’s feet and Molly let out a small giggle. Enough to let the carer push the spoon further in.
“There’s a good girl.”
Molly spluttered the majority of the food back out. It dripped down her face and onto her overalls She really didn’t like it, she wished she could get hold of her bear with the reality altering device to make this bit over and done with but it was well out of her reach.
“If I eat Molly’s food will I grow up twice as quick?” Jennifer asked hopefully.
The worker shook her head. “No Jennifer, this is Molly’s food, it will only work on Molly, but if she just wants to be little forever then I can’t make her eat, she won’t be able to go to big girl school”
Sarah gasped in horror. “Molly, Molly you gotta eat”
Molly grinned. The carer was trying infantile persuasion on her, whilst that might work on Sarah or Jennifer, Molly was well aware of what was going on and she wasn’t about to fall for it. She shook her head defiantly.
The worker thought for a moment. “Molly, just eat three more spoonfuls and you can leave the rest. Okay?”